The Tribune

HARBOUR Island native Lashann Higgs had another big game on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to garner another victory for her Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre in the Spanish Women’s Professional Basketball League.

On Saturday night, Higgs stayed red hot on the offensive end, matching game high honours with 22 points as Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre suffered a 69-58 loss to the IDK Euskotren at home in their José Antonio Gasca arena.

In 35 minutes on the court, Higgs shot 8-for-20 or 40 percent from the field, was 2-for-3 (66.7 percent) from behind the three-point line and didn’t attempt a free throw. She also pulled down two rebounds with an assist and a steal, while committing one foul.

“I felt as if I played well although I missed some shots that I would normally make,” said Higgs, who has turned out to be the team’s top performer in just her freshman season, averaging 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

“It’s a learning process. I just have to keep improving each game.”

The University of Texas Longhorns stellar guard, who rebounded from a near career-ending injury in her junior year, is among the top 10 in scoring in the Spanish League.

The 25-year-old who stands 5-feet, nine-inches, attributes her success so far to her “mindset and being confident in the work that I put in, realising as much as I can the blessings God gave me and that helps.”

Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre opened the game on a 6-0 run and extended it to 24-12 at the end of the first quarter. They continued to apply the pressure as they managed to surge ahead 40-24 at the half. The second half was a different story for Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre, who is on a three-game losing streak as they remain in 15th place in the league standings with a 2-13 record.

“We lost by 12. We started off very well, but couldn’t get going in the second half,” Higgs said. “We didn’t try to be consistent with the energy and aggressiveness.”

IDK Euskotren rallied to start the third on a run that cut their deficit to 46-41 and drew within one, 50-49, going into the fourth quarter.

That is when IDK Euskotren took full control of the game and once they went ahead, they never looked back as Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre seemed to have run out of gas down the stretch.

“The first half we were both intense as well as focused and really locked in with the game plan,” Higgs stressed. “But in the second half, we lost focus.

“I was disappointed (in the loss), but it’s something my teammates or myself can do well on. Have to keep it moving.”

Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre will be back in action on Tuesday against Lointek Gernika before they close out the year on Sunday, December 27 when they play Spar Gran Canaria.